Diving with braces

[Graham_Pettett]

No - not the kind in your dry suit! I'm considering having braces fitted as part of treatment to straighten my teeth out. I've been advised they would be of the fixed "train tracks" type. I'm not convinced of the viability of using a reg with these fitted. My orthodontist, had no idea, so I'm wondering if any of you have any experience of diving with braces and how you found it?

[Ben Panter]

Hi Graham,

I'm pretty sure my sister did it years ago with no problems, but I couldn't tell you for sure. Braces fix on very firmly indeed, I can't think that a soft rubber mouthpiece is going to affect them.

cheers,

Ben

[Alison Boler]

HI Graham
My daughter dived all last year with train tracks fitted and no problem. If you think about it, you've got to be able to eat, brush teeth etc etc with the brace in place, so it can't be sharp or easy to snag. I assume that's what you're worried about, that somehow it will tear the silicon mouthpiece??
This year her train tracks are off and she has to wear a retainer brace and she is diving in that too with no probs.

Her main worry (as a 15 year old :), also unfounded ) was regarding the dangers of entanglement during heavy duty snogging sessions with someone else who was wearing a brace!! You'll be all right in that scenario too BTW!

Allie

[garethwoodruff]

HI,

I wore braces (train tracks) in my mid 20's for a couple of years and did loads of diving, don't worry about it, its not an issue.

Cheers,

Gareth.

[Beanie]

only problem I had was munching through mouthpeices

[Craig]

The denstist wanted to fit braces on me at one time. I agreed so long as my reg was still comfortable to use and that I could try it in front of him so he could see what the problems were.

Maybe you should ask your dentist if you can do the same, or look at getting a mouldable mouthpiece that will accomodate any parts of the brace that come into contact with it.

[Wil Bateman]

The sad person that I am I did 10K word dissertation on the subject of diving dentistry.

With regard to diving with braces there is an increased chance of breaking off the little brackets, and there may be a few problems getting a good seal.

The authors of a recent study advocated making a custom mouthpiece. If you have a lot of problems then this may be necessary, but if you are comfortable and you don't break your brace with a standard one you should be fine.

I would encourage you to have a good look in your mouth and check all the elastics, wire and other associated engineering are in place when you come back and contact your orthodontist ASAP if there is a problem as it will slow your treatment if you don't!

Cheers
Wil Bateman

( Dental Student, Queen's Uni Belfast)

[rose]

Hi, I live in Sydney and have been a recreational diver for over 20 years. I got braces almost 5 months ago. I have lingual uppers and found that my standard mouthpiece was snagging the brackets. I subsequently found a mouldable mouthpiece called a JAX, which is an Italian product. I've been using that for a while and it works fine. I've also had no problem with getting a seal with either mouthpiece.

What I am interested in is whether anyone here has dived with vertical elastics in place. I'll be getting elastics in a week's time and have been told that I will be wearing them all the time. I haven't quite figured out how I will stick a regulator in my mouth without dislodging the elastics. Of course, I shall ask my ortho about this, but would like to hear of anyone else's practical experience of diving with elastics.

[Michael Purcell]

Those evil top to bottom elastics are horrible :(
I cringed just reading that you needed to get them.

I had my braces before I started diving so I can't say but my concern with the top to bottom elastics would be reduced breathing volume leading to an increase in CO2 buildup increasing your risk of DCI.

Maybe I am just a nervous nelly (or maybe I just want to give you an opportunity to free yourself from those horrible devices) but I would suggest removing them while diving.

The other problem would be you wouldn't be able (or at least have some difficulty) to bite down on the mouth piece. It won't fit. :)

[rose]

Those evil top to bottom elastics are horrible :(
I cringed just reading that you needed to get them.

I had my braces before I started diving so I can't say but my concern with the top to bottom elastics would be reduced breathing volume leading to an increase in CO2 buildup increasing your risk of DCI.

Maybe I am just a nervous nelly (or maybe I just want to give you an opportunity to free yourself from those horrible devices) but I would suggest removing them while diving.

The other problem would be you wouldn't be able (or at least have some difficulty) to bite down on the mouth piece. It won't fit. :)

Thanks for your 20c (or should I say 8p?) worth.

I shall ask my ortho.

[Andy Wade]

HI Graham
My daughter dived all last year with train tracks fitted and no problem. If you think about it, you've got to be able to eat, brush teeth etc etc with the brace in place, so it can't be sharp or easy to snag. I assume that's what you're worried about, that somehow it will tear the silicon mouthpiece??
This year her train tracks are off and she has to wear a retainer brace and she is diving in that too with no probs.

Her main worry (as a 15 year old :), also unfounded ) was regarding the dangers of entanglement during heavy duty snogging sessions with someone else who was wearing a brace!! You'll be all right in that scenario too BTW!

Allie

15 years old ...and snogging already? :eek:
Gosh!
My two daughters (3, and 2 years old) have been told that they can only talk to boys after they have reached their 20th birthdays....
Is this a bit unrealistic then? :D
I may have to rethink a bit.

[Tony Dwyer]

15 years old ...and snogging already? :eek:
Gosh!
My two daughters (3, and 2 years old) have been told that they can only talk to boys after they have reached their 20th birthdays....
Is this a bit unrealistic then? :D
I may have to rethink a bit.

May I suggest you invest in a large club. Very handy for beating off randy young males. You will find it a futile exercise however. :(

Trust me, I had a teenaged daughter once. She's a woman now and still loves me. :)

[Jester]

Although I don't wear braces I do use a JAX mouthpiece, mentioned earlier, and find it very comfortable.

I think it would be a very good solution as you mold it to your "bite" and it fits further into the mouth than a normal mouthpiece thus giving a more even bite profile and less effort.

Most good dive shops sell them now or you'll find them on the web if you do a search.

[Clay Taft]

Hi all:
I'm an old diver (60) who just got braces. Long story. The short version is that I had to get them. Since I didn't want to stay out of the water for the next 2-3 years, I started researching mouthpieces. Ends up that the SeaCure mouthpiece I bought several years ago works just fine. Since I moulded it to my mouth before I got braces, the first bite with braces told me that my bite was drastically different. However, It is a mouldable/re-mouldable mouthpiece. Stick it in hot water for 25-30 seconds, put it in your mouth (careful, you have braces) and bite down. Instant re-mould. It fits really well. Just use caution putting it in and taking it out of your mouth. It fits so perfectly that the added bracket width and shape are perfectly moulded into the mouthpiece. When I bite onto it slowly, I can feel the brackets slipping into their moulded place. If I try to quickly bite onto it, the brackets get pushed around. Your Orthodontist and your pocketbook won't be happy.
Gotta go jump in the water this Wednesday and try it out.
Best regards to all of you who have braces. Now I know what I put my kids through.

Clay Taft

Diving update:
The SeaCure mouthpiece works perfectly. Absolutely no discomfort and, if I open my jaws, the mouthpiece doesn't fall out - it is perfectly moulded. Also, I didn't break or lose any brackets.

[rose]

I had an ortho appointment today. I have a stay of execution for another 5 weeks on elastics (have to get a wisdom tooth pulled in the interim) - yay, sort of.

I asked my ortho about diving with elastics and he said forget it.

[Michael Purcell]

I asked my ortho about diving with elastics and he said forget it.

Like I said... :)

But my advice still stands...pull out the elastics and go diving. Put them back on when you get on the boat.

Having said that it is a horrible habit to get in. Once you take them off for one thing you start wearing them less and less. And of course you end up wearing them longer or your bite is never fixed.

Good luck...at least you have 5 weeks. Use them wisely. :)

[rose]

Like I said... :)

But my advice still stands...pull out the elastics and go diving. Put them back on when you get on the boat.

Having said that it is a horrible habit to get in. Once you take them off for one thing you start wearing them less and less. And of course you end up wearing them longer or your bite is never fixed.

Good luck...at least you have 5 weeks. Use them wisely. :)

The next 5 weeks are packed with work, one week's diving the north coast of NSW, and work. I won't have much time to think about orthodontics.

Interestingly, most people who I've spoken to who wear elastics say that when they're out they really notice the discomfort and it is a relief to put them back in. With the kind of $$ I've coughed up for treatment, I'm pretty motivated I can assure you.